TWENTY-HOUR FIRE FIGHT

Evening Post, Volume CXXXV, Issue 77, 1 April 1943, Page 3

TWENTY-HOUR FIRE FIGHT

A stubborn fire among pine trees, pine needles, and gorse, which broke out on Tinakori Hill at 2 o'clock yesterday afternoon, kept the brigade occupied until 8.30 this morning. A machine from Northland and one from Thorndon attended, and last night the brigadesmen were reinforced by three sections of the E.F.S. from Portland Crescent. Help was also given by soldiers. Beaters were used, and one line of- hose was run round the wireless station.

broke some of the glass in the window frame close to my right shoulder." Witness said he caught a glimpse of a girl in the room, and she appeared to be sitting quite normally. When Sergeant A. E. Kearton arrived he inspected the house, and with further assistance the house was surrounded.

"Accompanied by some armed marines, Sergeant Kearton and the officer in charge of the marines went through the front door, and I followed with marines. Sergeant Kearton and the officer broke open the door of the room where I had seen the accused, the girl, and the marine. We saw two marines, one lying on the floor parallel to the bed against the window, and the other one on the left of the door against a wardrobe, with his head away from the door. I saw only the one marine on the first occasion. ACCUSED ARRESTED. "I accompanied Sergeant Kearton and some armed marines up the stairs. The accused then came out of the bathroom and was seized by Sergeant Kearton and a marine and Sergeant Kearton and myself handcuffed the accused." The accused was then unarmed, and made no reply when he was asked where the pistol was and what explanation he had for the shooting. To Mr. Stacey, witness said the accused appeared to be dazed. Sergeant Kearton said the marine by the door was obviously dead, and the one by the bed was unconscious and bleeding profusely from a wound in the head. When Crawford came out of the bathroom he appeared to be under great mental stress. He was not drunk, but his breath had a smell of stale liquor. In the bathroom Miss Salmon was sitting on a chair and had several wounds about the shoulders and neck. She was bleeding freely and was unable to speak. On the single bed opposite the window in Miss Salmon's room he found an automatic pistol. The breech was open and empty and the magazine was also empty. In all, he found three empty cartridge cases and two spent bullets. When spoken to, the accused just grimaced and had an air of resignation. Other evidence was given by Constable A. N. Clark and Sergeant J. C. Fletcher.

Miss Salmon was the first witness called this afternoon, and because of the condition of her voice a microphone and amplifier were installed. (Proceeding.)